Largest Trade Union Body Asks Iran's Leader to End Persecution of Prominent Activist

The International
Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has written to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei calling for an end to the persecution of Reza Shahabi, a prominent
labor activist who has refused to comply with a summons to return to prison.

Reza Shahabi

"A return to detention of Reza Shahabi, unjustly convicted for his trade union
activity, would be only a further violation of international conventions and a
violation of human rights," said the organization in a letter dated
February 13, 2017.

"We hereby express the ITUC's serious concerns on behalf of our 181 million
members in 162 countries about the renewed attempt by the Iranian judiciary and
intelligence authorities to force Reza Shahabi back to prison," continued the
letter, published on the Tehran Bus Workers Union website on February 15.

Shahabi, 44, a member of the governing board of the Union of Workers of the
Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, was arrested in June 2010 for his peaceful
activism and sentenced to six years in prison for "propaganda against the state"
and "assembly and collusion against national security" by Branch 15 of the
Tehran Revolutionary Court.

After several hunger strikes in Rajaee Shahr Prison and Evin Prison, he was
released on September 23, 2014 on medical furlough (temporary
leave) after posting a 200 million toman ($62,000 USD) security deposit.

"If Reza Shahabi does not return to prison, the prosecutor's office will seize
his deposit," an informed source told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran on
February 10, 2017.

After Shahabi was summoned back to prison in October 2016, an informed source told the
Campaign: "Mr. Shahabi (has already) spent four years in prison (June
2010-September 2014) and then he went on medical furlough for the rest of his
term."

"He was not contacted by prison officials and went about his life," said the
source. "Then, in October (2016) the prosecutor's office contacted Shahabi's
wife and said he has three more months left to serve of his sentence."

"However, counting his time on furlough, he has finished his prison time," added
the source.

According to the bus union's website,
Shahabi joined the organization in 2004 and was elected to its governing board
in June 2005. A few months later he was fired for participating in a strike.

Until his arrest in 2010, he continued his peaceful activism while striving to
get his job back.

The Iranian Constitution also
contains provisions for such rights: Article 26 guarantees the right to form
"parties, societies, political or professional associations," and Article 27
states that "Public gatherings and marches may be freely held, provided arms are
not carried and that they are not detrimental to the fundamental principles of
Islam."

Despite this, independent labor unions are banned in Iran, strikers are often
fired and risk being detained, and labor leaders face long prison sentences on
trumped up national security charges.